Back in the old days when a man was to marry, he had to pay the bride price for his wife to her family. This entailed offering hefty sums of money and parting with other expensive goods and elements of wealth such as livestock. Essentially, the groom-to-be had to offer his best if he was to woo his future in-laws into parting with their daughter.

The same goes for courting with content marketing. We can’t expect mediocre content to inspire, motivate, or empower consumers into taking action. A recent blog from Socialmediatoday.com offers some tips about how to put your best foot forward when it comes to producing top-notch content marketing.

1. Meet a Need. Ask yourself if your content is helping the target audience to satisfy a need or solve a problem that they might have. This will require some research into the issues your viewers deem most important.

2.Be Special. Your content marketing should provide that special something that followers can’t just find anywhere. Otherwise, why should they bother? Dig deep and uncover what you have to offer that presents unique value or sets you apart from the crowd.

4. Speak with Uplifting Tone. Let’s face it, nobody likes a complainer. Your blogs should not be confused for long-drawn-out rants about all things negative. This reflects back on you, leaving a sour impression of your brand! Sometimes it’s ok to rant, but the majority of the time your content marketing should be uplifting and positive.

5. Reveal Tips and Tricks. Y’know – stuff people can use – the stuff that has viewers sit up and take notice because it makes their lives easier or more interesting. This is the content that drives traffic, is highly shareable, and helps solidify your brand as a credible, go-to source of information.